Familia, Mejia push their way into the picture

September 24, 2012|Reuters

The Sports Xchange

MLB Team Report - New York Mets - INSIDE PITCH

Heading into this season, the Mets boasted four pitching prospects whom most scouts ranked a cut above the other arms in their farm system. Matt Harvey and Zack Wheeler were both former first-round draft picks, fast-tracked to the Majors. Harvey has already arrived, and Wheeler is not far behind.

Then there were Jeurys Familia and Jenrry Mejia, two international free agents with unclear futures. Both pitchers, the Mets knew, possessed enough talent to potentially front a big-league rotation. But given their repertoires and inconsistencies, both also seemed perhaps better suited for the bullpen.

A full year has given the Mets a bit more perspective on the two of them. Right now, Mejia is starting in the big leagues and provided five shutout innings in the Mets' 6-2 victory over the Pirates on Monday. Familia is relieving.

The Mets set it up that way for September largely because of what unfolded from April through August. Mejia and Familia both spent significant portions of their summers as starting pitchers, but Mejia thrived in that role at Triple-A Buffalo while Familia struggled, as his 4.73 ERA attests.

Mejia also saw time as a reliever and scuffled. But when Familia converted to relief work after the Mets called him up to the majors, he began impressing manager Terry Collins and his staff with his bullpen work.

Lately, Collins has referred more and more often to Familia as a potential future closer, given his dynamic fastball and his struggles as a starter. And Mejia is looking more and more like a starter, shaking off the rust from his first major league start in more than two years to silence the Pirates.

That can all change once the Mets report to camp again next spring, so Collins has been careful not to label either of them starting pitchers or relievers for the long run. But the situation might be taking on a bit more clarity than it did six months ago.

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MLB Team Report - New York Mets - NOTES, QUOTES

--RHP Frank Francisco remains sidelined with right elbow tendinitis, but the Mets are not ready to shut their closer down for the season. Noting that there is nothing structurally wrong with Francisco's elbow, manager Terry Collins said the closer will pitch if and when his symptoms subside. In the interim, RHP Jon Rauch should get most save opportunities for the Mets.

--RHP R.A. Dickey is reaching heights the Mets haven't seen in two decades. With two starts remaining, Dickey's 19 wins are the most by a Mets pitcher since 1990, when Frank Viola reached 20 wins and Dwight Gooden added 19. Dickey's 209 strikeouts are the most since David Cone fanned 214 batters in 1992. And he is only the fifth pitcher in franchise history to throw at least 220 innings and strike out at least 200 men in a season.

--3B David Wright, who entered Monday's play three hits shy of matching Ed Kranepool for the most in franchise history, also came into the game one home run shy of his sixth 20-homer season. Nine of Wright's 19 home runs have given the Mets a lead, and the third baseman could join Mike Piazza for the second most 20-homer seasons in franchise history. Darryl Strawberry ranks first with eight seasons of at least 20 homers.

--1B Ike Davis hit his 29th and 30th home runs of the season Monday, giving him the second most second-half home runs (18) in the National League. Davis entered the day ranking eighth in the NL with a home run every 17.4 at-bats and has already set career highs by wide margins in both home runs and RBI (88).

--RHP Jenrry Mejia rebounded from a tough start two weekends ago in Milwaukee to blank the Pirates over five innings. Though Mejia needed 51 pitches to record his first six outs, he appeared to grow stronger as the game went on, retiring seven of the final eight batters he faced.

BY THE NUMBERS: 1,416 -- Career hits for 3B David Wright, who is two shy of tying Ed Kranepool for the most in franchise history.

QUOTE TO NOTE: "As dynamic as (his pitches) can possibly be, he might be a real back-end-of-the-bullpen kind of guy. I just think if he throws strikes, he could be something." -- Manager Terry Collins on why the Mets have been using rookie RHP Jeurys Familia exclusively out of the bullpen.

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MLB Team Report - New York Mets - ROSTER REPORT

MEDICAL WATCH:

--RHP Frank Francisco (sore right elbow) did not pitch Sept. 17-24. He hopes to pitch again before the season ends.

--LHP Johan Santana (lower back inflammation) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to Aug. 18. He likely will miss the remainder of the season. Surgery is not necessary, and Santana expects to be fully recovered long before the start of spring training.

--C Rob Johnson (torn ligament in left thumb) went on the 15-day disabled list Aug. 15, and he was transferred to the 60-day DL on Sept. 4.